Just To Try
by Medie
Summary: A missing scene from the Season Finale. Lex gets his much-needed hug.


Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or concepts of Smallville or  
Batman, I'm just borrowing them for awhile.   
  
Category: Lex/Other UST Alternate Universe. Hints of a Crossover.  
  
Spoilers: The season finale.  
  
Author's Note: Though I've given her a new name and changed a few details   
(like her adoption by Clark's aunt), Rebecca Lee is a canon character. Her  
full name is Rebecca Linda Lee and she is the canoniacal Supergirl.   
  
In this AU, she came to Earth almost literally on Clark's heels. The intro story  
is being written but hearing about the season finale and watching it has birthed  
this story. The irony of Lex Luthor and Rebecca Lee sharing a possible   
romance is just too delicious to resist. So, I offer this.  
  
Just To Try  
by M  
------  
  
"You look like a man in need of a hug."   
  
The teasing words of Rebecca Lee brought Lex Luthor's gaze away from the   
window and to her sympathetic face. "I was thinking a good stiff drink."  
  
"And no doubt a restorative bullet to the lord and master's forehead," The   
young redhead countered smoothly, moving to join him at the window.  
  
"You heard?"  
  
"My father told me."  
  
Lex raised one eyebrow. "News of this reached Gotham?"  
  
"Mom called him." Becky explained. "She's furious."  
  
He grinned at that. "Never cross Mary Elizabeth Lee."  
  
"The lady's a tiger and quite unafraid of your father." She agree before   
resting a hand on his arm. "How are you? Really?"  
  
Though she and Clark were both adopted, the look in her eyes was so similar  
to her cousin's that he briefly entertained the thought that they were blood  
siblings. As quickly as the thought came, however, he dismissed it. Beyond   
the expressions, there was little similarity between Clark Kent and Rebecca  
Lee. Where he was tall, she was short, where he had dark hair, hers was ever  
growing redder, he fair, she freckled...if there was a case for actual genetic  
relation, he couldn't see it.  
  
"How do you think I am?" He asked, harsher than he'd intended.   
  
She took no offense, just smiled sadly and slipped an arm around him; resting   
her head against him. "He's a bastard." She decided finally, her words vehement.  
"I don't care what case he makes for this. It's beyond wrong."  
  
Lex chuckled. "Such language Rebecca, what would your mother think?"  
  
She snickered. "Not much. Mom's been calling him much worse believe me." Her   
gaze lifted to his and once again he had to remind himself of the age difference.   
Nothing could happen between them - not yet - no matter how much they both   
wanted it. Jonathan Kent was already convinced of his bad influence, Lex could   
only imagine how much worse the reaction would be if he were to discover his   
only niece had been seduced by Lionel Luthor's son. "You could call him, y'know."  
  
Knowing who she was talking about, he shook his head. "Not yet. Calling him is  
a last resort."  
  
"But you should." She insisted. "There aren't that many people you can turn to  
that aren't under your father's control. Of them, there are even less with   
enough money, influence, and power to be of any help. He's pretty much it."  
  
"I know." Lex replied, absently touching her hair and looking out the window,  
wondering for the hundredth time if somehow, Rebecca was his mother's doing.   
If bringing Clark and his cousin into his life had been an attempt from beyond  
the grave to keep her husband's influence from completely consuming her son.   
"I can't do it yet. If I do, and my father finds out, he'll take steps to cut  
off any help that could be offered. I can't take the chance of risking it."  
  
"What about me?" She questioned thoughtfully. "I talk to him at least once a   
week, just to make sure he's ok, and I could slip in a little complaint about  
what's going on here." A mischievous glint entered her eyes. "After all, I'm   
a teenager. We're *always* ranting to someone about our hometowns."  
  
He chuckled. "Very devious of you, Miss Lee."   
  
"I have my moments." Becky demurred with a waved hand. Her face sobered and   
she touched his face. "I'm worried about you Lex. About how all this is   
affecting you."  
  
"I'm fine." He replied simply, pulling away.   
  
"No you aren't." She shook her head, frowning at him. "You aren't fooling   
me, Lex. I can see it in your face."  
  
"Don't you have a dance to get ready for?" He asked irritably, moving away  
from the window, trying to put distance between them.  
  
Rebecca wasn't having any of it as she turned and followed. "I'm not going.  
Besides, you're more important than some silly old dance."  
  
The insistent comment warmed him but he showed no sign of it. "You should go."  
  
She wrinkled her nose. "And do what? Stand in the corner, holding a drink and  
trying not to look pathetic? I hated dances in Gotham, I hated the few I went  
to in Metropolis and I hate them here." She shrugged. "Never was much of a   
party girl. Now, are you going to talk to me or not?"  
  
"Not."  
  
"Don't, Lex." Rebecca's voice turned plaintive and he stopped, refusing to   
look at her. He knew what expression he would find on her face and he wasn't  
about to look at it.  
  
"Don't what?"  
  
"Shut everyone out." She reached out, fingertips brushing his sleeve. "That's  
what Lionel wants, you to have no one else to turn to but him. If you've no   
one else in your life then it'll be all that much easier to bend you to whatever  
shape son he wants."  
  
"I'm not Gumby, Rebecca." He turned, despite himself, and strained to keep his   
expression stoic in the face of her obvious worry. "I have no intention of doing  
what he wants."  
  
"No, you don't. But it's more complex than that. It's like a spider web, Lex.   
The harder you fight the more ensnared you become. He's a master at this, putting  
you in an untenable situation and then sitting back to watch you thrash around,   
trying to get free and becoming more and more his son with every step."  
  
She was right. He knew it but what could he do? He couldn't stand by and watch   
his father destroy the plant and the lives of so many of the town. Fighting back  
was his only option and by whatever means necessary his only choice.   
  
"I have to try." Lex told her honestly, briefly letting her see the turmoil he   
was in. "I can't just sit back and let him win, Rebecca. I have to *try*."  
  
She blinked away tears and moved forward, hugging him tightly. "Then we'll try."  
Came her murmur against his chest. "Whatever happens, we will try."  
  
Lex somewhat awkwardly wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as well.   
"Yeah," he agreed quietly, resting his chin on her hair. "We will try."  
  
With that he fell silent and enjoyed the first honest-to-God hug he'd had in   
years. 'Thanks Mom.'  
  
Finis 


End file.
